Explore
William C. Drda Woods
Edwardsville, IL | 71 Acres
Type: Natural Area
Owned by: City of Edwardsville
Our role: With only three high-quality old growth forests remaining in the St. Louis Metro East region, HeartLands Conservancy provided technical assistance and grant writing support to the City of Edwardsville to acquire this buffer property to the old growth Bohm Woods State Nature Preserve. We permanently conserved the land through a conservation easement after the City acquired the land in 2017.
Funding support for the acquisition was provided by the Illinois Clean Energy Community Foundation and City of Edwardsville.
We partner with the City to plant trees, restore habitat, and plan trails and enhancements.
Hours: Open Sunrise to Sunset unless posted otherwise
Location & Directions
Located adjacent to Bohm Woods State Nature Preserve. The parking area for the property is located behind the “Reserve” apartment complex on New Poag Road.
Access the property by taking the shared roadway between the Reserve and Axis Edwardsville complexes.
Trails & Facilities
While this property is under restoration, the city has installed a parking area and unpaved, dirt trails connect Drda Woods to Bohm Woods.
Wildlife & Habitat
Drda Woods is an upland forest and prairie restoration that supports abundant wildlife that need forests and prairies for survival.
Plants of interest include a variety of oak and hickory trees, jack-in-the-pulpit, wild ginger, and buttonbush.
Depending on the season, you may be able to see a variety of birds and other wildlife, such as great blue herons, eastern phoebes, owls, eastern box turtles, foxes, and white-tailed deer.
Regulations
This site is owned and managed by the City of Edwardsville Parks and Recreation Department and is currently under restoration.
Visit the city’s website for more information.
Overview
William C. Drda Woods
William C. Drda Woods is a forest and prairie restoration that protects the rare old growth forest ecosystem next door at Bohm Woods State Nature Preserve. These habitats are home to a wide variety of wildlife—from migratory songbirds to turtles, deer, and the soaring Southern flying squirrel.
Southern flying squirrel are secretive and need old-growth, mature oak and hickory dominated forests. The squirrels nest in the natural cavities in standing dead trees that are found in old-growth forests. With only three intact old growth forests left in the St. Louis Metro East area, the squirrels have very few places to live. Protecting and restoring forests next to old growth forests, like Drda Woods, is helping to restore the habitat they need to thrive.
By conserving and restoring this landscape, we’re not only protecting habitat—we’re ensuring that future generations can connect with ancient forests and the wildlife they sustain.
If you would like to find out more about how to create a new public conservation area and conserve wildlife habitat, feel free to call Anna McAtee at (618) 566-4451 ex 23 or email her at an*********@*******************cy.org.
You may find information on our Land Conservation page and Ways to Give page helpful, too.